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Mkhululi Ncube, [email protected]

THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has finished cleaning and treating the spot near  Mzilikazi Barracks in Bulawayo where a fuel tanker overturned and spilled 19 600 litres of petrol into the environment last Friday.

The accident, which police attribute to speeding, happened on Friday evening and resulted in the death of the driver, Blessing Nhira (39), of Waterfall in Harare.

Nhira was driving to Bulawayo to deliver 30 000 litres of petrol and only 10 400 litres was recovered. EMA Bulawayo provincial manager, Mrs Sithembisiwe Ndlovu, confirmed the conclusion of the cleaning process on Monday.

“The  petrol spillage affected an area of about 546 square metres with a depth of about 20cm. Chemical spillages have a negative effect on the environment, livestock, and wildlife. Any spillage involving chemicals poses a risk of polluting underground water if there are water bodies nearby or boreholes nearby,” she said. 

Environmental Management Authority (EMA)

“The soil is also contaminated and this also affects land and poor or no growth of vegetation and crops if it is a farming area. Other chemicals such as petrol can also be fire-hazard because they are highly volatile. 

“Our animals can also be affected if they ingest soil or vegetation  on the affected area. With these impacts, it’s important for these spillages to be cleaned so that we restore our environment. 

“EMA working together with Curity Spill Response have managed to treat the soil and the vegetation that was affected. We will be monitoring  how the treatment progresses and we expect that the vegetation and soil will be restored to normal and where it was so that vegetation will start growing,” said Mrs Nhira.

She said the owners of the truck that overturned have paid for the cleaning and treatment expenses as per the law adding that there were no other penalties as the company travelled within the allowed time of transporting hazardous substances. Bulawayo City Council Chief Fire officer, Mr Lions Phiri, said the operation was a delicate one, which exposed his firemen to great risk of death.

The fuel tanker that overturned outside the Mzilikazi Barracks in Bulawayo, killing the driver instantly.

“We worked hard to prevent any fire ignition and stopping people from approaching the area to steal the fuel. We closed all roads but there  is a drunken driver who was driving a car with one wheel on a rim. We had a hard time controlling him because the rim was producing sparks and could have been incinerated had there been an explosion,” he said. 

“We used foam to cover the fuel that had spilled, It was a delicate operation for our team due to the risk involved. We had to get another fuel company to decant the remaining fuel so that we could lift the wreckage of the truck.”

Mr Phiri said the company will also bear the cost of council services and urged members of the public to stay away from such accidents as it exposes them to death. —@themkhust